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Description: | British officer served as pilot with Royal Naval Air Service and RAF in GB, 1917-1918; served with 63rd Wing, RAF in Greece, 1918; served with 266 Sqdn, RAF with South Russian Military Mission, Russia, 1919
REEL 1 Recollections of operations as officer with 266 Sqdn, RAF with South Russian Military Mission based at Petrovsk, Russia, 1/1919-10/1919: volunteering whilst serving with RAF based in Aegean Islands, 11/1918; prior journey out attached to Headquarters, 63rd Wing, RAF, including mine alarm during voyage to Batum, 1/1919 and problems during train journey to Petrovsk, 2/1919; situation; establishment of barracks and seaplane base in harbour.
REEL 2 Continues: establishment of barracks and seaplane base in harbour; arrival of 221 Sqdn, RAF; state of White Russian Army and question of atrocities; role securing Caspian Sea sea lanes; success of British coastal motor boats in securing surrender of Soviet ships; conversion of Russian ship to become seaplane carrier HMS Alader Yousanoff; arrival of 266 Sqdn; initial problems for seaplanes in taking off in Caspian Sea; cruises aboaad HMS Alader Yousanoff including unreliabilty of Russian crew, composition of makeshift British naval squadron, reconnassance flights and difficulty in starting engines without compressed air supplies; period trapped by gale on Chechen Island whilst refueling during subsequently cancelled bombing raid.
REEL 3 Continues: period trapped by gale on Chechen Island whilst refueling during subsequently cancelled bombing raid; reconnaissance role of 266 Sqdn; role of naval squadron; shooting game; relationship with Russian civilians; question of SRMM's role as army of occupation; question of evacuation; mission to hand over Short seaplanes and train White Russian forces at Gureyav including billets and contacts with Captain Igorov.
REEL 4 Continues: mission to hand over Short seaplanes and train White Russian forces at Gureyav including Igorov's death in bombing accident, Igorov memorial service and drunken party with Russian officers; evacuation from Petrovsk via Novorossiysk to Constantinople, Turkey, 10/1919; convalescing from malairia at Constantinople. question of lack of contact with White Russian forces during period at Petrovsk.
REEL 5 Continues: Recollections of recruitment and training with RAF, 5/1918: prior attestation under Derby scheme and acceptance by Royal Naval Air Service, 1/1918; basic training at HMS President, Crystal Palace, London. Flying training at Redcar RAF Station, 6/1918-7/1918: inadequate dual control training with nervous instructor on Avro 504; forced landing during cross country flight; local defence flight. Aspects of flying training at Cranwell RAF Station, 7/1918-9/1917: unreliability of Avro 504 engines; aerial photography training flights; flying Bristol Bullets; commission, 9/1918; situation; story of accident from spinning Avro 504.
REEL 6 Continues: Aspects of period training as seaplane pilot with Royal Naval Air Service at Killingholme Royal Naval Air Station, 9/1917-10/1917: flying Short 150 and 184 Seaplanes including taking off, landing and pulling on to slipway; naval side of training; Zeppelin raid. Aspects of period training at Calshot Royal Naval Air Station, 10/1917-11/1917: base layout; bombing training including use of drift sight, steady flying required and question of accuracy achieved. Aspects of period as officer with Royal Naval Air Service at South Shields Royal Naval Air Station, 12/1917-3/1918: situation.
REEL 7 Continues: role escorting convoys; difficulty taking off in rough waters; relationship with Senior Naval Officer; story of forced landing in sea and rescue after sending message by carrier pigeon; difficulties in patrolling area between Tyne and Farne Islands; difficulties for ground crew wearing waders; question of deterrant value of convoy patrols to German submarines; relationship with naval officers; role of longer range seaplanes in anti-submarine war.
REEL 8 Recollections of operations as officer with 63rd Wing, RAF based at Lemnos and Syros, Greece, 7/1918-12/1918: journey out via France, Italy and Salonika, Greece; seaplane station at Phoenica Bay, Syros; role flying patrols to locate any possible emergence of Goeben and Breslau; food rations; fishing using bombs; establishment of repair base for HMS Ark Royal at Syros. | Publisher: | http://www.iwm.org.uk | Source: | Imperial War Museum | Creator: | Bilney, Christopher Neil Hope | Identifier: | http://www.iwm.org.uk/collections/item/o... | Go to resource |
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